P A G E 2 Save the Date

12/12 Christmas Tree Lighting 6pm DIFFERENCE NOVEMBER 2017 C ORE 3/24 Silent Auction 7pm P RINCIPLES GCS Happenings 4/28 Family Fun Day Excellence The Lobby Becomes the Common 6/08 Senior Graduation Values 6/12 K Grad & Elementary Closing Program Relationships This summer our lobby GCS is a place where was transformed into The Common. So many students grow and people helped to make flourish from ages MISSION STATEMENT this transformation 3-18. Come see happen. A Mission Team The Grace Difference! from the Buncombe Bap- Partnering with parents Feature tist Association in North to provide an exceptional Carolina started us Keeping the Foundation Building for the Future spiritual and academic off. In one week, they environment consistent removed all the old What does an excel- applied to real life with them for the with Biblical truth. planters and the two “To me, Grace feels like a lent education look situations, and pro- next 6 months. The feet of dirt within like? We desire our motes global aware- training outcomes will them. They built a home rather than a school, students not just to ness. All learning at include all of the fol- new fish pond area. gain knowledge, but GCS is in a frame- lowing: increased SCHOOL VERSE They also hung new and the teachers and staff to be able to succeed work which encour- emphasis on 21st sheetrock on the at new and different ages collaboration Century learning, mul- But grow in the grace and feature wall and skills. We desire our between students and ti-age approach, aca- knowledge of our Lord and have had a huge role in painted it a beautiful students to apply their teachers. This is an demic outline for the Savior Jesus Christ. To him burgundy. shaping me into the person I learning to their lives. education primed to next three years, iden- be glory both now and The Common reflects This is especially true develop students into tification of GCS dis- forever! Amen. what we are all about am today.” for their spiritual edu- leaders who will take tinctives, and the de- 2 Peter 3:18 as a school. The feature wall in Jesus’ sacrifice. there is also a piano for cation, but also for all an active role in man- velopment of a mini showcases the Cross and the Ten The Common is a place students to play. The aspects of their educa- aging their own learn- strategic plan. Commandments, telling all who where our students gather best part is, at both tion. The world is ing, time, project enter that we are committed to for study halls, lunch, and ends of the day, the rapidly changing, as teams, and service God and His beautiful plan of conversation. It is a bless- Grace community we can all attest. INSIDE THIS EDITION projects. salvation by Grace through faith ing to have our students in gathers here - at the The foundations of In order to help us to Your Giving this hub of action. Also, heart of the school! literacy, mathematics, become even more Report 2016 Grace By the Numbers science, history, and effective, we have Pg. 4 Getting the Bible In Students’ Lives theology are not hired Christian 22 Churches changing. At GCS we School Management, are training our stu- 21st Century A main part of The Grace Difference is to incorporate the Bible into every class, and even every a consulting firm who lesson. This year we have made a concerted effort to get our students interacting with the Bible 14 Towns dents in the founda- will help train our Education Feature tions of learning and directly. In HS Bible class, the students are reading a passage from Scripture and reflecting upon it 3 States school community. Pg. 2 weekly. The Bible App allows high school students to sign up for a reading plan and then discuss for what they will The CSM staff will be their plan with friends. Furthermore, we are hosting a community youth group for all children in 5 Countries need in the future. at our school for 2 grades 6-12. The youth group, Building Lives Around Solid Truth (BLAST), has been a great suc- Our students are en- days, following which cess so far. Our prayer is that the Word of God will be living and active in our students’ lives! gaged in content that we will have trainings 21st Century Learning is interdisciplinary,

Connections THE GRACE DIFFERENCE PAGE 3 Your Giving Makes an Eternal Difference Reaching the Community Praising and Praying This year our Annual Fund Drive goal is to raise who could benefit from The Grace $25,000, so that we can continue to provide an Difference. Second, please pray that excellent education at an accessible tuition and God would protect our entire com- be able to give out staff bonuses. Our faculty munity—the staff, students, families, Student Grandma deserve this so much! We are already more than and our school . Moses Art Project 2nd & 3rd Graders interact with BLAST Community Youth Group halfway to our goal. We have contact with our students attendees of an adult day ser- meets at school with We are praising God that He has continued to for 1,200 hours a year. In short, this vice monthly GCS student leaders sustain our school and give us favor. For 21 is a disciple-making amount of time, Bennington Rural Fire years now, God has continued to meet our where we focus on changing stu- Dept. visit for needs and bless our school in amazing ways! He dents’ lives for God. Help us to de- Fire Prevention Month is guiding and directing us as we reach to the velop lifelong disciples who will glo- future. rify and serve God wherever He Last year, the Lord used you, our support sys- places them in this world. You can tem, to sustain the ministry of Grace Christian mail in your gift or School! Your gifts also provided program en- give online through Vermont State Troopers discuss Packing over 60 boxes for Opera- their use of Algebra in their jobs tion Christmas Child hancements including: the transformation of our website. We will The Common, a science fume hood, acid wash wrap up our fund shower, tuned pianos, music supplies, art sup- drive by January 1, Cathy Russell, Chemours, Daikin, JPS, Rose & Spotlight plies, and soccer jerseys. if everyone gave $100 Kiernan, BGF, Blue Shield / Health Now, Cintas, Senior Alissa Boucher -Attending Grace has been such a blessing to me, This year we have two specific prayer requests we would far exceed Citizens, George Apkin & Sons, KPMG, Saint Gobain, Slack Chemical Company Inc., Todd Gile, because it has given me so many opportunities that I wouldn’t have found that you could join us in. First, we pray that the our goal. anywhere else. Throughout my thirteen years here, I have gotten to know the USI, Acton Technologies, Bank of America, John Transforming Students Lord would increase our enrollment. You can Boucher, JP Morgan Chase, Trans-Border, Troy teachers on a personal level, and now consider them to be like family. Addi- help by praying mentioning Grace to a family Industrial Solutions, BestMak International, Jim tionally, in my junior year, I was fortunate enough to travel to Guatemala on a mission trip O’Keefe, Nexeo Waste Solutions, Unicorr Packag- with my class. Although it was a huge step outside of my comfort zone, it was one of the ing/VT Container most rewarding and educational experiences of my life. Finally, Grace allows me to worship and praise God on a daily basis. I am able to grow in my faith and draw closer to God, Alumni Corner thanks to our daily devotions, Bible classes, and weekly chapels. To me, Grace feels like a Alumnus Andrew Meerwarth is a driven young man. home rather than a school, and the teachers and staff have had a huge role in shap- Changing Their World After leaving GCS, Andrew graduated from Stony ing me into the person I am today, and for that I am extremely grateful and blessed. Brook University with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. He is currently at Notre Dame Law School, specializ- ing in corporate law and governance. Andrew has had some great opportunities including studying abroad in , S. Korea, My wife, Kelli, and I have been married the Spring of 2016. I was very excited internships with the NY Attorney General, and a NY Senator. Serving the Lord 16 blessed years, and we have two to become a full time teacher this Fall! He has founded an International Moot Court Team competing beautiful daughters, Sarah Grace and I have a real passion for sharing God's in Vienna, Austria. He also works with a team which one the Hi, my name is Elizabeth Faith, who both attend Word with teenagers and investing in National Fiscal Policy competition in Washington, DC. Andrew Randy Burns. I Grace Christian School. This year, we their lives. I am so blessed to be able stated that the support of friends, teachers, and staff at GCS trusted Christ as also became host parents for a foreign to do this in a variety of ways. In ad- helped him through his teenage years. He attributes the great my Lord and exchange student from Mongolia. We dition to teaching Bible, Math, and teachers and high school courses at GCS to setting him on the Savior at the age call her Sunni. Government/Economics, this fall we path to where he is today. of 22. I imme- also started B.L.A.S.T. (Building Lives diately felt the Andrew is looking to graduate in May 2018, and is excited for Around Solid Truth), an area-wide call to serve On April 1, 2014 our family moved to what God has next for him. Student Ministry for 6th-12th graders God with the Bennington, VT pursuing the call God that meets here at GCS every oth- rest of my life. placed on our hearts to share the mes- er Friday night. I also enjoy sports, I served in student ministry for 5 sage of love and hope of the gospel of and I love volunteering with the soc- (802) 447-2233 years, and I have been a pastor for Christ to the people of New England. cer and basketball teams. Grace 104 Kocher Drive 12 years. I have earned degrees from In September 2014, we launched Sum- THE GRACE DIFFERENCE www.gcsvt.org Christian School means so much to Bennington, VT 05201 New Orleans Baptist Theological mit Church. We became a part of the [email protected] my family and me. We are so blessed Seminary and Luther Rice University GCS family as parents, in the spring of to be a part of this family of faith! EXCELLENCE|VALUES|RELATIONSHIPS in Pastoral Ministry and Theology. 2014. I began as a substitute teacher in